On October 7, families in Ottawa received an unexpected email from the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). The message, sent by provincially appointed supervisor Robert Plamondon, announced the cancellation of the Elementary Program Review (EPR) — a plan that had been approved by elected trustees after a year of public consultation involving thousands of parents, educators, and community members[1].
The reversal was abrupt. The email offered no clear roadmap for what would replace the EPR, leaving families uncertain about what September 2026 will look like. Programs like French immersion, special education, and the role of educational assistants — all central to the original review — are now in limbo [2]. After months of engagement, families are left with more questions than answers.
This decision is part of a broader and deeply troubling set of decisions: the Province of Ontario’s takeover of the OCDSB, announced under the guise of financial oversight. The Ministry of Education cited years of deficits and alleged mismanagement, despite the board having passed a balanced budget with $18.1 million in cuts just weeks prior[3]. The province appointed Plamondon to oversee the board’s operations, sidelining trustees — the only elected representatives parents have in the governance of their children’s education[4].
Trustees were locked out of their emails and stripped of their ability to communicate with families or advocate on their behalf[5]. Their suspension is not just administrative; it’s a democratic rupture. These are individuals elected by communities to represent their interests, and their removal signals a shift toward centralized decision-making and opaque lines of accountability.
The Elementary Program Review itself was controversial, proposing to phase out alternative schools and middle French immersion, and to dual-track more schools with both English and French immersion programs. But equity was at the heart of the review. It aimed to address long-standing disparities in access to programs and resources, especially for students with disabilities, English language learners, and those from marginalized communities[6]. Over 12,000 submissions were received, and adjustments were made to preserve special education classes and revise school boundaries in response to community feedback[7].
Now, with the province’s intervention, even those compromises are at risk. The new approach, vaguely described in the October 7 email, promises to “strengthen every school” and reduce program streams to just two: French Immersion and English with Core French[1]. But without details, families are left wondering: Will their children be forced to change schools? Will specialized supports be available? What happens to the educational assistants who were already facing cuts[8]?
The implications go beyond logistics. This move threatens to undercut local involvement in public education by not only eroding trust but also entirely eliminating relationships that have taken years to build. It sends a message that community voices — even when organized, informed, and engaged — can be dismissed without warning. It undermines the principle that public education should be shaped by those it serves: students, families, educators, and communities.
Most concerning is the erosion of equity and transparency. The EPR was designed to make programs more accessible and inclusive. By reversing it without transparent consultation and clear accountability mechanisms through democratically overseen local institutions, the province risks deepening inequities and leaving vulnerable students behind. Unilateral decision-making, especially when it employs vague language and moves ahead without community input, is antithetical to equity. It replaces collaboration with control, and clarity with confusion.
These changes are part of a broader legislative push seen in the proposed Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act, which would give the Minister of Education sweeping powers to intervene in school board governance, finances, and programming without external review. Education Minister Paul Calandra has even suggested eliminating school trustees altogether, calling the governance model “outdated,” and hinting at further centralization before the next elections [3]. The proposed bill also reintroduces mandatory police presence in schools, a move that was rejected by locally elected trustees in the past due to reported human rights violations and safety concerns. This is an attempt to shift and usurp power away from locally accountable decision-makers closer to the communities they serve that risks turning public education into a top-down system where decisions are made without transparency or accountability [9] [10].
What Can You Do?
If you’re concerned about the future of public education in Ottawa and across Ontario, contact your local MPP and let them know that families deserve transparency, equity, and a voice in decisions that affect their children. Ask them to oppose Bill 33 and support community-led education. You can read statements from organizations like the Elementary Teacher’s Federation of Ontario, Trent University’s Faculty Association.
The Ontario Federation of Labour has more resources and actions on their website.
Your voice matters. Let’s make sure it’s heard.
References
[1] engage.ocdsb.ca
[2] www.ocdsb.ca
[3] www.cbc.ca
[4] globalnews.ca
[5] globalnews.ca
[6] www.cbc.ca
[7] www.cbc.ca
[8] www.cbc.ca
[10] www.cbc.ca.
